Gracious Guest Rooms

Give a plain twin bed majesty and drama by topping it with this simple sheer canopy.

Cost: About $60

Time: An hour

Skill: Beginner

To fashion the canopy, you'll need approximately 7 yards of fabric. (For a different size bed, estimate the yardage needed by measuring the width of the bed and tripling the measurement. The fabric should be long enough to gracefully drape across the bed and to the floor on either side.) Hem the raw edges with a needle and thread; or use fabric tape or glue for a no-sew option. Attach two 2-foot-long wood dowels to the wall with L-brackets. Then hide the brackets with large tassels slung over the dowels. Drape the fabric over the dowels, letting it fall in front of the dowel ends to hide them. Or, finish off the dowels with round wood finials screwed into the ends.

There are many things you can do to make guests feel welcome in their sleeping quarters, even if you have just a sliver of space to offer. Appoint a guest room as you would your own room, with attention to design and detail. And think of what needs they may have. You want to avoid a guest having to ask you for something.

• Think about who is most likely to use the room and determine the beds you'll need. A queen is good for couples, but if you don't have the room, consider twins, a daybed, or a trundle bed.
• Supply proper bedding for the season: lightweight blankets and sheets in the summer, and jersey or flannel sheets in the winter, plus extra blankets and a throw.
• Stock the closet with a variety of bed pillows -- soft, hard, flat, fluffy, down, synthetic -- so guests can choose the one that's most comfortable for them.
• Top the bed with an array of throw pillows for a confortable, luxurious resting spot.
• Treat a guest room as you would your own bedroom. Incorporate color, pretty fabrics, and accessories to give it a finished look.
• Always include an alarm clock and reading lamp, and make room for a bedside table or nightstand to rest them on.
• Make sure guests have a place to store clothes and empty luggage.
• In warm months, add a tabletop fan to the room.
• Pay attention to window treatments and how light enters the room at different times of the day. If light is a problem, adjust the shades or curtains accordingly.